


The Bench Still Warm

by Estirose



Category: Kamen Rider Blade
Genre: Gen, Post-Series, Slight Kenzaki/Hajime, Slight Kenzaki/Tachibana
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-09
Updated: 2015-12-09
Packaged: 2018-05-05 19:14:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5387198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Estirose/pseuds/Estirose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tachibana goes to find Kenzaki, and figures out something about his own life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Bench Still Warm

**Author's Note:**

  * For [estelraca](https://archiveofourown.org/users/estelraca/gifts).



> Thank you to my kind, anonymous beta!

It was raining when Tachibana stepped out of his apartment. He shifted the duffel bag on his shoulder, hoping it would stop raining soon, or at least stay dry on his trip. Karasuma had offered to use BOARD resources to pay for an airline or train ticket, but Tachibana had shaken his head and told Karasuma that he was taking his bike. After all, if Kenzaki ran, as he probably would, Tachibana was going to need his familiar bike to keep up with his friend.

Karasuma was the only one who knew about his trip. He knew that Hajime would not react well if he got the barest hint of what Tachibana was doing—no matter how Hajime might miss Kenzaki, he'd be the first person to insist that Kenzaki was right, and Hajime had to stay away from him in case the Battle Fight restarted.

Hopefully, Tachibana could get Kenzaki back. It was in some ways his fault that Kenzaki was now Undead—if he'd only realized faster, or had actually stopped the other Rider from confronting Hajime! He knew why Kenzaki had done it, but it still pained him that he could have done much, much better.

Tachibana attached his duffel to his motorcycle, and headed out, maybe a little bit slower than he might normally have driven. Even though he wanted to get to Fukuyama before Kenzaki decided to move on, he didn't want to end up in hospital.

After all, Kenzaki seemed to be a vagrant, not staying in one place or another too long, as if he expected Hajime to catch up to him. From what Tachibana had gotten out of Hajime, Kenzaki had probably wanted to make absolutely sure the Battle Fight couldn't continue. Not that Tachibana completely blamed him, of course. He'd fought the Dark Roaches enough that he wouldn't wish them on anybody.

He was probably not expecting Tachibana, and Tachibana would use that to his advantage. Karasuma and his research assistant Tanaka had done all the research that Tachibana was too busy to handle, though Tachibana had done a fair amount himself, trying to find Kenzaki before the trail grew cold.

The weather started to dry out about halfway to Fukuyama. His stomach growling, he stopped at a combination cafe-and-antique store, ordering a sandwich and coffee from the woman there. She served him and then sat down in the other chair, much to his surprise. "You're looking for someone."

Tachibana blinked. "Possibly." He looked around the cafe. "I'm sure you're busy—"

"My cousin Rei and her family will make sure nobody's forgotten for a moment." She gestured with her head at the counter, where two women and a man worked. Somewhere nearby, he could hear two girls giggling, but he didn't see any children. The owner folded her hands, looking at him beatifically. "Sometimes it takes a strong connection to find the person you seek. Don't give up, and hold onto them tight when you do."

A strong connection? It resounded with him, even if the woman's demeanor suggested that she meant her words in a more mystical or emotional sense.

"How did you know?" he asked.

"This place attracts lost souls looking for other lost souls. I sometimes help search, but most of the time I just help them get back on the right track."

Lost souls looking for other lost souls. He wasn't sure he was lost, but Kenzaki was, and to some extent Hajime was. Tachibana found himself gazing into his coffee.

"I'm helping someone else search," he said. But that wasn't true, not really. Hajime wanted Kenzaki back, even if he wouldn't admit it, and so did Koutarou, Shiori, and Mutsuki.

She just smiled even more, and stood up. "Enjoy your food."

He did, and then got back on his bike, still thinking about her words. Was he on the right track? Had he been off the right track?

But everything he had said he was going in the right direction, at least physically. Tanaka may have been new to BOARD, but she seemed skilled at finding things nobody else could. And she was certain that Kenzaki was in Fukuyama.

He shook his head and continued on his way. It would be another four hours to Fukuyama at least, and he couldn't afford to be distracted.

Fortunately, he made it to Fukuyama without incident. It wasn't as huge as Tokyo, and in fact, it wasn't even the largest city in the prefecture. Which was probably why Kenzaki had chosen it. Why not be anonymous in a medium-sized city halfway down the coast? Especially hauling garbage for a private company there?

It was possible that Tanaka's research was wrong, that Kenzaki was in nearby Hiroshima or even across the bay somewhere in Kagawa prefecture, but Tachibana doubted it.

And at least he had someplace to stay. He'd contemplated just camping, but Karasuma had insisted on him having a place to stay—at least for a week. Tachibana could only hope that he managed to find Kenzaki before then.

But for the moment, he headed towards where Kenzaki was supposed to be living. Maybe he wouldn't have to stay at all, if he found his former colleague—and friend—first.

It seemed to be a plain, working-class residential area, from what he could tell. There seemed to be several families about, mothers with young children. There was no sign of Kenzaki, but he hadn't especially expected there to be. He probably was either at work or in bed, assuming he slept anymore.

Hajime did, but that didn't mean anything.

Tachibana decided to check into his hotel and get an early start the next morning. He wished that Hirose's tracker was working; it would make his life much easier. Maybe it was because neither Hajime nor Kenzaki were actively participating in the Battle Fight.

The hotel was also nothing special, a western-style place with small rooms. Tachbana settled into his bed, glad for all the times when he’d had to fall asleep at odd times in odder places. He was soon asleep, despite the sun still shining in the window, and only remembered dimly as he was dropping off that he hadn't had dinner.

He woke the next morning to his alarm and grabbed some food that he'd packed, making a mental note to find a decent lunch later. There had to be some kind of restaurant in the area where Kenzaki was staying.

It wasn't that far, at least. He quietly settled into a spot where he could watch everybody leaving the three apartment buildings—assuming there wasn't a back exit to one of them, of course. He hoped not. He really needed to talk to Kenzaki.

There were quite a few people who left—mostly businessmen and other workers getting an early start, followed by one or two moms with kids. It could be that Kenzaki had either left before Tachibana had gotten there, or he wasn't working that day, or that he'd sneaked out.

So, Tachibana settled in once more. Eventually, his patience was rewarded as Kenzaki—with darker hair, oddly enough, but still Kenzaki—stepped out of one of the buildings. Tachibana would have recognized him anywhere.

"Kenzaki," he said softly, and Kenzaki turned his head, as if hearing him. Or had he heard him? Hajime didn't show any signs of enhanced hearing, but he could be masking it. Or it could be due to Kenzaki's way of becoming what he was.

Or maybe it was just a coincidence. It was hard to tell.

Instead of running, which Tachibana had fully expected him to do, Kenzaki walked towards him. He didn't seem to be in a jumpsuit or any other kind of work clothes.

"Tachibana," Kenzaki said, and there was the slightest smile on his face. The person in front of him was definitely his former colleague; Tachibana recognized Kenzaki's familiar mannerisms. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Karasuma and I were concerned about you." And everybody else was as well, but he'd bring that up a little later. No sense in scaring his Undead colleague.

"I'm fine." Kenzaki brushed his hair back. "Thank you. And tell Karasuma thank you as well."

"We need to talk." Tachibana hated to be blunt, but if Kenzaki was anything like the person he’d been before the end of the Battle Fight, he would listen even if he didn't like it.

"Tachibana...." Kenzaki shook his head and looked down a little. "All right. I have an apartment."

An apartment where unusual things could be said, Tachibana knew. Even if Kenzaki ended up throwing him out, they could talk somewhere private.

Kenzaki took him to a tiny apartment. It was decent, not like some of the places that Tachibana himself had lived when he was with Kenzaki and the others, hunting Undead. He'd refused to live on someone else's generosity, like Kenzaki had been doing.

"What do you want to talk about?" Kenzaki asked as soon as they'd settled into two battered chairs. Kenzaki wasn't precisely living a wealthy life.

"We wanted to make sure you were all right," Tachibana repeated. Then he gazed at Kenzaki's tv, and the practically unused kitchen. "And we wanted you to come home."

His old friend gave him a wider smile than he had a few minutes ago. "I can't. Not with Hajime around."

"Kenzaki...." He knew that Kenzaki would protest. He should have been prepared. And yet he found himself not ready to convince Kenzaki to come home.

Because, in one way, Kenzaki was right: meeting Hajime again could mean the end of the world.

"I can feel him," Kenzaki said, folding his hands. "I can feel you and Mutsuki as well, somewhat. I could tell you were nearby when you came into the city."

It was strange, but it made sense. He and Mutsuki had been effectively bonded to Undead, and some of it probably had rubbed off. "How far does it go?" he asked, the scientist in him rising to the fore.

"I haven't really tried to figure it out... I'm not into the sciences like you, Tachibana." Kenzaki tried brightening his smile, and failed. There was a tenseness in his hands that made Tachibana hope that this didn't turn into a fight. "I don't know why, but I feel... tense with you here. Because of Garren."

Because of what he was. Maybe he wasn't entirely human anymore himself, but he didn't have green blood. It wasn't something that he and Karasuma had tested.

Tachibana nodded at Kenzaki's words, but let him talk.

"I don't know if it's safe for any of you if I come back." Kenzaki got up, pacing as he could in the small space. "And if I get near Hajime...."

"We might be able to mitigate it." He wasn't sure how—Karasuma wasn't sure how—but he didn't want Kenzaki to be lonely. It wasn't something that he would wish on anyone, especially how he himself felt. He'd been able to leave at a moment's notice because he didn't have someone waiting for him, not really. Not after Sayoko had died. Hajime had Amane as moral support, and Mutsuki had Nozomi. Karasuma was friendly, but he was Tachibana's boss, not his close friend.

"How is everyone?" Kenzaki asked, changing the subject.

"Mutsuki and Nozomi are happy." Tachibana thought he saw Kenzaki brighten at that. After all, Kenzaki had also felt responsible for Mutsuki being stuck as a Rider. "Hajime is doing well at the cafe. I'm working at BOARD." It was an evasion, and both of them knew it.

"And you, Tachibana?" Kenzaki asked.

"I'm fine." This was a mission to get Kenzaki back, not excise his personal demons.

Kenzaki looked at him with obvious disbelief. "Maybe you should stay here, Tachibana."

"Even if it makes you uncomfortable?" Tachibana pointed out. Kenzaki was willing to do some extreme things to save others, after all.

"I can learn." Tachibana knew from Kenzaki's expression that it wouldn't be easy. "And I think there's a scientist position where I work."

Tachibana thought about reminding him that there were many different kinds of scientists out there, and he was a biologist.

"I have a job," Tachibana reminded him. And a little lonely apartment, but he wasn't going to go there. "And I want to keep an eye on Mutsuki."

Mutsuki would be fine, he knew, but he still felt that he had to make it up to the kid. Kenzaki sat back down as he pondered, folding his hands again. "I know. But Mutsuki will be fine." He tried to smile, and Tachibana's breath hitched. "It would be good to have a friend around."

"Yes." He wasn't willing to give up on getting Kenzaki home, but the idea was tempting. There wasn't actually much for him back home other than work. Tachibana knew that Mutsuki still needed help, but maybe Kenzaki was right. Mutsuki would be fine. "Are you working today?"

"No, today is my day off." Kenzaki smiled once more. "I kept sensing you, and I thought that it would be a good idea to see what was going on. I knew you weren't Hajime, so it had to be you or Mutsuki."

"And it probably wasn't Mutsuki." Although it could have been, entirely by accident. Mutsuki had admired Kenzaki somewhat, but he wouldn't have taken off—even on a work-sponsored trip—to find Kenzaki. Tachibana had both professional and personal reasons to go find his friend.

"No. Though I wouldn't have been totally surprised if he had come by accident. Could you sense I was here?"

Tachibana shook his head. "It took a lot of research to find you. There's a new researcher at BOARD — Tanaka. She did most of it. She's good at finding people."

"I wonder if she's related to my high school classmate—probably not, though. It's a common surname."

"It is."

"He went into teaching, I know." Kenzaki looked wistful. "And that's the last I heard of him."

"Kenzaki...." He wondered if Kenzaki would listen, if given some time. "I... you have my number? It hasn't changed."

"I got rid of my phone when I left, so no." And they all locked their phones, or at least Kenzaki and Tachibana had. Mutsuki probably hadn't.

"Then let me give it to you. I want you to call."

"Don't want to worry, eh?" Kenzaki grinned, offering Tachibana a slip of paper and a pencil.

"You're still a friend. To all of us." Tachibana wrote his number on the paper and gave paper and pencil back to Kenzaki.

"I promise to call. Maybe you'll stay a little longer?"

"We could eat." If Kenzaki did eat. His kitchen did seem remarkably unused.

"We could. I'll take you out." Kenzaki stood up, adjusting his jacket. Tachibana followed.

They went to a restaurant, and chatted about old memories until they'd finished their food. Kenzaki at least gave Tachibana his phone number, so they wouldn't lose touch.

And then Tachibana headed back to his hotel room. Not that the time with Kenzaki had been anything but pleasant, but he knew that he had to discuss Kenzaki out of earshot of the man.

He called Karasuma as soon as he got back to the hotel room. "So, what did you find?" Karasuma asked.

Tachibana closed his eyes. "He's fine. He's lonely."

There was a sigh on Karasuma's end. "I'm not surprised. Thank you, Naoko." In his head, Tachibana could see Karasuma talking to his assistant.

"He wants me to stay. Despite my presence irritating him... it has something to do with him being Undead."

"I wondered if you and the others would always read as Undead... now I know." Karasuma was silent for a moment. "In any case, I agree. We need to keep an eye on him now."

It wasn't a pleasant implication that they now had to keep an eye on Kenzaki because he was Undead, but Tachibana let it slide. Besides, Karasuma was Kenzaki's friend as well.

"I'll set up an outstation for BOARD out there. It will take some time, but we can do it. I just need to find a reason other than the real one."

"I know." He guessed that Karasuma had already started plans, as soon as Tachibana had confirmed Kenzaki was living there. There was no reason for Kenzaki to be all alone.

"Check out of your hotel. Come back. Let Kenzaki know you'll be returning as soon as you can. I don't want him to run."

Tachibana didn't want him to run, either. He couldn't let Kenzaki run out of his life again. "I will."

"Good." With that, Karasuma disconnected, letting Tachibana pack up his items and check out of the hotel.

Knowing that it would take a while to explain everything, Tachibana came home and ended up calling Mutsuki. After all, Mutsuki was unlikely to react badly to Tachibana leaving to be with Kenzaki—or at least leaving to watch over Kenzaki. While Mutsuki did probably need a little more support, Tachibana was not going to worry that much. He had Nozomi, and Nozomi had been more than dedicated to making sure that Mutsuki was healing from what had happened. If everything went well, Mutsuki would have the most normal life of all of them.

Mutsuki and Nozomi met Tachibana at a small little cafe that was one of Tachibana's favorites. He'd ended up taking the two of them there often when everything had been said and done, just trying to make sure they were all right. Mutsuki had been finally debriefed by a BOARD researcher—not Tanaka, someone else—just so that future generations would know how dangerous the Undead were.

"Are you doing all right, Mr. Tachibana?" Nozomi asked, and Tachibana had to smile. She'd been part of all of it, unwillingly, ever since Mutsuki had gotten possessed.

"I'm going to be fine." He outlined the whole plan, to be there for Kenzaki, and watched Mutsuki to make sure he was all right. Which he seemed to be, thank goodness.

"Is Kenzaki all right?" Mutsuki asked. He seemed to have recovered. Maybe Tachibana shouldn't worry too much about him.

"He seemed to be," he reassured the other Rider. There weren't that many details to get into—he hadn't been with Kenzaki that long after all.

With some final discussion, he left Mutsuki and Nozomi to their lives. The more difficult conversation would be with Aikawa Hajime. He decided to put that one off for another day.

A few days passed, with Tachibana returning to work. He made a formal report on his contact with Kenzaki, talked to Karasuma, and discussed plans to return to the city.

Finally, he decided that it was time to contact Hajime. He rode to the Jacaranda, walking in with no other plan than to talk to the man. The cafe was half-full, maybe, or a little less than that, and the family was busy serving. He ordered food and waited until most of the crowd had left before approaching Hajime. "We need to talk."

The other remaining Undead gave him an unnerving stare, and slowly nodded. He gestured at Tachibana to follow. Tachibana did, to a small picnic table behind the restaurant.

"Kenzaki." Hajime brought up the name without Tachibana's prompting. "You were near him." He sounded vaguely like Tachibana had gone to see Hajime's ex-boyfriend—though also like Hajime was tired of having the conversation about said ex-boyfriend. Hajime had made it clear—he wanted to be left alone, not questioned by BOARD. And Tachibana had made sure that his request was respected.

"Yes. You can sense that, too?" The scientist in Tachibana was rising to the fore.

"Yes." Hajime didn't elaborate. "I could tell that you went to him." He looked over at the trees nearby. "I don't know where he is, but I know he's alive."

If Kenzaki had somehow died—something likely impossible—there would be consequences, Tachibana knew. He'd seen it with his own eyes what had happened when Hajime had been the last. Kenzaki wouldn't let Hajime be the last, even if he didn't want to be anywhere near the other Undead. For safety reasons.

"He's lonely. He misses all of us." Even Hajime, Tachibana guessed. Just because they couldn't be anywhere near each other didn't mean that Kenzaki didn't like Hajime. Tachibana was sure that Kenzaki had said that he liked Hajime, a short while before the end.

Hajime gave him a curt nod.

"Maybe someday he'll be able to come here." But it would be a while, Tachibana knew. "But until then... he sends his regards." The words felt strange on his tongue, but at least they came out.

Hajime was silent, for a moment, and then spoke. "Do you want your world to end?"

"No, but you and Kenzaki were friends. BOARD can do something to mute this." Especially if Kenzaki was willing to talk and even be poked. After BOARD set up its outpost in Fukuyama, of course.

The look on Hajime's face told Tachibana that he wasn't quite able to believe him. But that was okay. "I should get back to work."

Tachibana nodded. "I'll try to come by every so often." Mutsuki and Nozomi came to the place, sometimes, but he realized that he almost never did.

With that, Hajime headed back to the cafe, and Tachibana headed back to his bike.

It was two weeks before Karasuma had anything remotely ready. An office space leased, at least. Not much there, but at least it was something. Kenzaki had called, making it clear that Tachibana was welcome anytime... no matter how Tachibana's presence made him feel. Tachibana himself intended to find an apartment to rent... possibly not right near Kenzaki's, just to make his friend a little more comfortable. He drove back to Fukuyama, back to Kenzaki's apartment.

Kenzaki welcomed him in, and he stayed there for a few days. For a little while, it was like old times—he'd go apartment hunting, and then he and Kenzaki would talk in the evenings after Kenzaki was done with his garbage man job. Kenzaki even took him out to eat—grinning the world's largest grin—when Tachibana secured an apartment.

Now all that had to be done was to move in. Karasuma had said he wouldn't mind, after all, if Tachibana stayed in Fukuyama while BOARD was putting things together. He didn't have that many things to move, either, with being practically homeless for nearly a year. At least he'd had friends to store his things with when he hadn't had money, and he could bargain food for work.

"Come with me, Kenzaki," Tachibana practically begged. He knew that his friend was still reluctant to be in the same vicinity as Hajime, but maybe he would be willing to come for a day.

"I can't." Kenzaki smiled, and it was a most apologetic smile.

"We won't go anywhere near Jacaranda," Tachibana promised. "Hajime won't come near you." He hoped it was reassuring. He didn't want either of them to panic. Making a mental note to have the Garren Buckle on him while he packed just in case, he tried to smile. It was too bad that Mutsuki had straight out told them that he didn't want to see the Leangle Buckle ever again.

"I guess I can go. I am due some vacation." Kenzaki shrugged, not losing that smile.

"With the two of us, it won't take long," Tachibana assured him, and Kenzaki smiled genuinely.

The two of them headed out the next morning. Tachibana stopped for lunch at the same roadside cafe that he had before, with the owner's smile telling him that he'd made the right choice. Her cousin served them sandwiches, and Tachibana watched while Kenzaki ate his. Kenzaki apparently didn't need to eat, but it was a good thing to blend in. Tachibana himself started on his own sandwich shortly after Kenzaki started on his. Nearby, there was the same giggling he'd heard before.

Kenzaki turned to the window and smiled. Tachibana looked over, but he didn't see anybody or anything in particular. "What are you thinking?"

"I was watching those two little girls in kimonos and thinking how happy they looked," Kenzaki said. "I remember two girls in my orphanage who were twins; we spent time together before they were adopted." There was a slight wryness in his answer, but he seemed genuinely happy about the two girls outside that Tachibana hadn't seen.

"Ah." Kenzaki had never talked much about his past, after all, especially the orphanage. Tachibana didn't want to pry.

Soon, they were done with their food and on their way back, after a surreptitious trip to the bathroom for Tachibana, where he called Karasuma. Karasuma promised that the Buckle would be in his apartment if needed, and Tachibana was suddenly glad he'd entrusted the current head of BOARD with the key to his place.

They arrived in Tokyo about four hours after lunch, and Tachibana was glad to see his own apartment. He left Kenzaki in the place while he informed his soon-to-be former landlady about moving out, and that he'd have a guest overnight. It didn't take long, and he was soon back with Kenzaki in his apartment. "You're going to need Hirose for some of this," Kenzaki half-joked. "And a moving van."

Tachibana looked at his apartment. It would take an even shorter time if he invited Hirose, Koutarou, and Mutsuki over. That way, Kenzaki wouldn't have to worry about being in the same city—if across town—from Hajime. He outlined his plan to Kenzaki, who nodded in approval. Tachibana got on the phone with all of them, and soon had three eager assistants—mostly because they all wanted to see Kenzaki again.

He would have called Hajime, but he doubted the other man would have dared come. Nor would Kenzaki let him anywhere close.

Letting Kenzaki have his bed, despite Kenzaki's protests that he didn't sleep, Tachibana settled into a sleeping bag and rested peacefully. He woke up the next morning to cooking—apparently even if Kenzaki didn't eat, he could still make food. And maybe he missed making food, for all that Tachibana knew.

Hirose came first, Koutarou second, and Mutsuki third, with Nozomi joining him. Tachibana really didn't need all the assistance, but seeing Kenzaki's face light up—with a slight bit of sadness—made it worth it.

"Mr. Kenzaki!" Nozomi exclaimed. Hirose and Koutarou were trying to pepper Kenzaki with questions.

"Mutsuki," Tachibana said, realizing after the fact that he was going to need someone to drive his bike home when he got the moving truck, "I need you to help me with the moving truck."

Mutsuki nodded so rapidly that Tachibana wondered if he was going to fall over.

When he got back with a truck—having persuaded the moving place to let him rent one—he came back in to find Kenzaki having an animated conversation with Koutarou and Hirose, with Mutsuki and Nozomi mostly sitting and listening. It brought a smile to his face. Even if Kenzaki was never really going to be able to go home again, at least he could remember he had friends. Shifting his small bag of groceries onto a table, he joined them.


End file.
